1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to modular enclosures for electronic apparatus for interchanging different circuit elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to an enclosure that houses one type of circuit elements and that includes a pivotable front panel that carries another type of circuit elements. The front panels can be interchanged with other front panels carrying other circuit elements to provide a common enclosure that can be adapted to perform different specific functions, depending upon the front panel and associated front panel circuitry that is provided.
2. Description of The Related Art
Typically, electronic devices are provided in generally rectangular enclosures in which the circuit elements are mounted on a printed circuit board that carries the interconnection wiring between the circuit elements. One or more printed circuit boards are securely positioned within the interior of the enclosure, usually to the base or sides of the enclosure. Sometimes they are carried on a metal chassis that is bolted to the enclosure base. Any switches, control knobs, indicator lights, or the like, are carried on a front panel of the device, so they are accessible to a user, and conductors extend from the front panel devices to the main circuit elements within the interior of the enclosure. The most common of such devices are radios and television sets, although various other types of electronic devices have a generally similar construction.
The above-described approach to housing components of electronic devices renders servicing inconvenient and awkward. Frequently, accessibility to various circuit elements is difficult and oftentimes it is necessary to remove the element or the printed circuit board to which it is connected. Thus, the servicing of such devices is inconvenient and time consuming.
In addition to the servicing aspects, the attachment of circuit elements to circuit boards or chassis that are bolted to the base of the enclosure renders the enclosure essentially a dedicated, single function device. Thus, although a number of different kinds of electronic devices may contain common elements, and therefore may have some circuitry in common, the usual structural arrangement does not permit interchangeability so that the common elements can be retained and different circuit elements quickly and conveniently connected to them so that the enclosure can function as a different electronic component, as needs might dictate.
One approach to providing improved accessibility to circuit elements of an electronic device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,562, which issued Jan. 2, 1940, to J.F. Nielsen. That patent shows an enclosure having a pivotable front panel that can be pivoted downwardly to expose the rear face of the back panel and the interior of the enclosure. However, the front panel includes a further, outwardly extending enclosure of its own that is pivotally connected with the front panel for housing a plurality of vacuum tubes that are positioned for easy accessibility.
Another example of a hinged front panel arrangement for an electronic device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,064, which issued Nov. 20, 1928, to A.M. Trogner. The Trogner patent discloses an enclosure that has a pivotable front panel for providing access to the circuitry and permitting inspection and repair of the apparatus. A pair of angular, blade-type contact elements are provided on the interior face of the front panel to maintain contact, after the front panel is pivoted outwardly a predetermined distance, so that the circuits on the front panel continue to receive electrical power after the front panel is opened.
Although pivotable front panels have been disclosed in connection with electronic devices to permit access to circuit elements housed within an enclosure, in each instance the enclosures are intended for but a single use, thereby requiring separate enclosures for different devices, even though not all the different devices would be needed at any one time.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved housing for electronic apparatus that permits interchangeability of front panels to enable as single enclosure containing such apparatus to be put to different uses.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a housing for electronic apparatus in the form of an enclosure in which the front panel of the housing is pivotable and removable.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a housing for electronic apparatus wherein an enclosure is provided having circuit elements that are common to a number of different types of apparatus, and replaceable and interchangeable front panels are provided, the front panels having circuit elements that are specific to a particular function and that can be connected with the common circuit elements to permit a single housing to function in a number of different ways to provide a wide variety of electronic devices without the need for separate enclosures for each device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a housing for electronic apparatus that includes a pivotable front panel that contains circuit elements specific for a particular use, and in which the enclosure houses common circuit elements common to a number of specific circuits, and the housing includes a shielded wire channel extending through the enclosure from the rear panel to the front panel.